Wake up to the cozy fragrance of Christmas morning with these tender cranberry orange scones, warm from the oven and bursting with festive flavor. Fresh oranges and tart cranberries brighten each buttery bite, while cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove add the perfect holiday spice. The dough comes together easily with simple ingredients like vanilla, sugar, and cream, making this a low-stress treat for a busy morning. Serve them with a steaming mug of coffee or cocoa, and let the season begin deliciously.
The holidays bring out sides of us that we didn’t know existed – especially in the kitchen. Personally, I’m reaching for the cinnamon and nutmeg more frequently, as well as finding unique way to incorporate squash and pumpkin into any recipe that I am preparing.
Our family is still young and trying to discover what traditions we will carry on from our childhood and what traditions may strategically, or organically, become a new tradition for the next generation.
As a young girl I remember waking up on Christmas morning and anxiously having to wait until all three of my other siblings were awake. Other Christmas’s I’d wake to the smell of a delicious, vegetable-packed egg bake in the oven. The bacon, or sausage, would waft throughout the house and leave all of us children eager to run down the stairs for both the presents and the food!
The food my husband and I both consumed as children was typical 2000’s food: boxed mac n’ cheese, Hamburger Helper, frozen corn dogs, cereal… you get the idea. It had to be a special occasion for something that be made “from scratch”.
Over the years the world has unveiled the harm our quick and easy food was causing on our bodies. Chronic disease sky rocketed, heart disease jumped to the top and cancer was running rampant across American culture. It didn’t take long for both my husband and I to know we didn’t know what we needed to do, but we were going to do everything we could to live a healthier lifestyle – starting with our food.
Don’t mistake me though…
We are far from 100% organic or 100% self sustainable. Heck, we live on the outskirts of a small city in a suburban neighborhood. Our hands (and budget) are quite tied when it comes to pursuing a life free of relying on someone, or something, else to feed and nourish our bodies.
What we can do is educate ourselves on the broken food system and take everything one step at a time as it is presented to us. For me, that began in my kitchen.
Cranberries: Fresh, Frozen or Dried?
Who knew there’d be so many options for cranberries? In this recipe, I highly recommend using fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries pre-coated in flour. While frozen cranberries are more accessible year round, they tend to leave streaks of color in the scones because of the natural thawing that happens during the baking process. They will also turn out slightly more “soggy” than the fresh cranberries. The tartness of cranberries when fresh is unbeatable!
Dried cranberries are delicious to snack on but not the best option for baking. I do not recommend using them in this recipe for several reasons: (1) they are typically processed and coated in sugar, (2) they will pull moisture from the dough creating a dry scone, and (3) they will not result in the same flavor profile as fresh or frozen cranberries naturally will because of all the added sugars and preservatives.
Healthy Eating During The Holidays
In my journey to a more organic and sustainable lifestyle, a mentor once told me to only change things one at a time. Don’t throw everything out of your pantry and replace it all in one grocery haul or you’ll traumatize yourself, your family and your budget.
The Holidays have a tendency to make us spend more and crave more – specifically sugar. There’s a natural draw we humans have to consume increased amounts of sugar and carbs during the winter months. Part of that is survival, the other part is routine.
Routine is the culprit of most negatives in our life. Whether it’s our thoughts or habits, we have a tendency to follow the routine and walk it out as if our identity exists in it (spoiler alert: it belongs in Jesus).
My family is slowly becoming more and more aware of the routine we have become accustomed to over the years and what choices are good, harmful and just neutral when it comes to our health. We still bake during the holidays and enjoy a sweet treat probably weekly. It’s the power once given to a sugar addiction that we’ve taken back.
Our taste buds are not as drawn to sugar anymore because our diet doesn’t revolve around it. We’re also firm believers that balance is important. Sugar isn’t the enemy – the over indulgence and misunderstanding of it is.
We have found several ways to enjoy the sweets; enjoy the family gatherings and the holidays without eating ourselves into gut rot. One of our favorite ways to enjoy sweets is through baked goods, like this cranberry orange scone recipe!
Combining sugar with other ingredients means we’re also consuming less sugar than if we were to sit down and “enjoy” a bowl of candy. Not only that, but there’s something so special and nostalgic about waking up Christmas morning to the delightful scent of fresh cranberry orange scones and watching them steam with twinkly sugar crystals as I pulled them out of the oven.
Supplies for Cranberry Orange Scones
I like to keep things as simple as possible in my kitchen. That means no extra fancy ingredients or utensils. While all of that is nice and all, it’s not always necessary and sometimes a hinderance!
What you need for these delicious cranberry orange scones are simple kitchen staples like flour, baking powder, sugar and butter. We’ll spruce up the scones by adding unique spices like nutmeg and clove, paired with the traditional cinnamon, add a bit of sour with fresh cranberries and sweeten the scones with hints of citrus.
The utensils you will need are also kitchen staples, such as a large mixing bowl, a liquid measuring glass, dry measuring cups, something to mix with and a cookie sheet or stone to bake everything on.
Step by Step
These cranberry orange scones come together effortlessly, making them perfect for a relaxed Christmas morning bake. With a quick mix of simple ingredients and a few gentle folds, you’ll have a festive dough ready for the oven in no time. A final drizzle of orange glaze adds a touch of magic without any fuss.
Step 1: Mix Dry Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Begin by cutting up 12 tbsp of Cold Butter (into the size of peas – use a pastry blender/pastry cutter if necessary) and place it in the freezer while completing the following tasks. The cold butter creates a flaky scones. Then whisk together 3 cups of Flour (I use bread flour or all purpose flour), 1/2 tsp Salt, 1 tbsp Baking Powder, 1/2 cup Sugar, 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1/8 tsp Ground Clove, 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg, and the zest of 3/4 of an Orange (reserve 2 tsp of orange zest for the glaze).
Step 2: Mix Wet Ingredients
Mix together 3/4 cup Heavy Cream, 1 Large Egg, the yolk of 1 Large Egg, 2 tsp Vanilla Extract and the juice of 1/2 an Orange (~2 tbsp) until fully combined.
Step 3: Add Butter, then Combine Dry & Wet Ingredients
Remove butter from the freezer and gently fold it into the flour mixture. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Once your dough looks shaggy, gently fold in 1 1/2 cups Cranberries, being careful not to smash them.
Tip: Freeze your cranberries to preserve their shape better during this process.
Step 4: Shape Dough
Dump the mixture onto a lightly floured work surface. At this point it will be a loose, shaggy dough. Gently knead the scone dough until it comes together into a ball. The goal is to incorporate everything, not to knead in order to develop gluten. Be careful not to smash the cranberries or overwork the dough so much as to melt the clumps of butter. The butter creates pockets of flaky goodness!
Once the dough forms into one ball, flatten it into an 8-inch circle, about 1-inch deep. Cut the dough into 8 equal triangles (just as you would cut a round pizza into slices).
Step 5: Bake
Individually place the scones (I use a bench scraper to cut and carefully remove them off my work surface) onto a large baking sheet or regular sheet pan lined with parchment paper. You can also use a baking stone. Bake them for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Now it’s time to prepare the glaze.
Optional: egg wash the tops of the scones with a 1:1 egg/water ratio and top with crystal sugar or coarse sugar for a shiny result!
Step 6: Prepare Glaze
I mix all of my glaze ingredients in a 2-4 cup liquid measuring glass. I find this easier! First, add the remaining 2 tsp Orange Zest and about 2 tbsp freshly squeezed Orange Juice. Add the rest of your ingredients (1 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1/8 tsp Salt and 1 cup Confectioners’ Sugar – add more by the tablespoon if you want a thicker glaze). Combine well using a whisk or a fork.
Step 7: Remove Scones and Glaze
Remove the warm scones from the oven and place them on cooling wrack. If you desire to glaze them while they’re warm from the oven, be sure to glaze on a serving plate or slide the parchment paper under the cooling wrack to avoid a drippy mess. Hot scones = running glaze. If you prefer a more solid glaze, wait to add it until the scones have cooled.
Result
Effortless, delicious scones fresh out of your kitchen! Store them in an airtight container on the counter for 4-6 days. You can also store them in the refrigerator for 10-12 days or freeze them for several months in an airtight container.
Cranberry Orange Scones
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Liquid Measuring Glass
- Measuring Spoons
- Mixing Utensils
- Large Baking Sheet
- Zester
Ingredients
Scone Ingredients
- 3 cups Flour (All Purpose, Wheat, Bread)
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 Orange Zest (reserve 2 tsp for glaze)
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp Ground Clove
- 12 tbsp Butter (very cold and cut into the size of peas)
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 2 tbsp Juice of 1/2 an Orange
- 1 1/2 cup Cranberries
Glaze Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup Confectioners' Sugar
- 2 tsp Orange Zest (1/4 an orange)
- 2 tbsp Juice of 1/2 an Orange
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 tsp Salt
Instructions
Cranberry Orange Scones
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Cut 12 tbsp of Cold Butter into small pieces (the size of peas) and place in the freezer while you complete the following steps.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Add 3 cups Flour (I use all purpose or bread flour), 1/2 cup Sugar, 1 tbsp Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg, 1/8 tsp Ground Clove and the zest of 3/4's of an Orange (reserve 2 tsp zest for glaze) into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Using a large liquid measuring glass, combine 3/4 cup Heavy Cream, 1 Large Egg, 1 Large Egg Yolk, 2 tsp Vanilla Extract and fresh juice from 1/2 an orange and whisk together until fully combined.
- Remove the butter from the freezer and toss it in the flour mixture. Mix it until the butter is fully covered and broken into small, individual pieces again (the size of peas).
- Add the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Using a wooden spoon or dutch whisk, slowly combine everything until it's mostly incorporated. The dough will be loose and shaggy. Add 1 1/2 cup Cranberries and carefully fold them into the mixture but do not overwork the dough or you'll risk melting the butter pieces or puncturing the cranberries.
- Once the cranberries are evenly scattered in the dough, dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it until it gives a somewhat smooth appearance and is formed into a ball.
- Press the dough ball into a 8-inch circle that is about 1-inch deep. Cut the scone shapes as if you were cutting a pizza into 8 slices. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper and individually place each scone on the tray.
- Optional: brush the scones with a 1:1 ratio mixture of egg and water, then top with sparkling sugar.
- Bake the scones for 17-20 minutes or until just lightly brown on top. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes on a cooling tray.
Sweet Orange Glaze
- In a small mixing bowl, add together 1 1/2 cup Confectioners' Sugar, 1/8 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Vanilla Extract, 2 tsp Orange Zest and fresh juice of 1/2 an orange. If you prefer a thicker glaze, simply add 1 tbsp of powdered sugar at a time until you reach your preferred consistency.
- Wait until the fresh baked scones have cooled for 5 minutes and drizzle the sweet orange glaze over the top. Enjoy immediately or allow the glaze to harden.
Video
Cranberry Orange Scones: Leftovers
Our family is small, which means much of what I prepare ends up in an airtight container on the counter at room temperature or in the refrigerator, only to be enjoyed for the coming days. Often times I’m left questioning how to make this food exciting “again”. You could imagine the level of creativity I have had to use!
The beautiful thing about fresh baked items, such as these delicious leftover scones, pastries or breads, is they can easily be used to replace starchy ingredients in other recipes. These scones can be torn into quarter-sized pieces and tossed with a french toast batter (eggs, cream and cinnamon) and baked for a creative twist on a holiday french toast.
Pair the cranberry orange scones with a dollop of homemade vanilla ice cream for a cozy evening dessert. Dunk them in a fresh cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Crumble them with blueberry scones and drizzle cream over the top and enjoy as a dupe of cereal. The options are endless!
If you enjoyed the ease of this delicious cranberry orange scone recipe be sure to check out other recipes on the blog! And don’t forget to come back and leave a review.
- Quick Sourdough Discard Pizza Recipe
- My Sourdough Starter Went Bad! How To Keep It Alive
- One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe
- Oregano Infused Olive Oil Recipe
What should I share a recipe for next? Let me know in the comments below!
Much love,
Courtney
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